If you’re a Texan, then U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., says he knows what you want in a U.S. senator. (Hint: It’s not a rich, establishment guy.)

The Tea Party freshman today endorsed the Ted Cruz for Senate campaign, touting his personal ties to the Lone Star State: “Having grown up in Texas, I know Texans don’t want a career politician in Senate who will compromise with Democrats to keep growing our out-of-control federal spending and debt.”

Cruz has already earned multiple endorsements from well-connected national conservative leaders, which include Kelly Shackelford, the President and chief executive officer of the Liberty Institute, and Edwin Meese III, a former U.S. Attorney General under President Ronald Regan.

Ted Cruz (Facebook photo)

The former solicitor general is one of three Republican candidates vying for retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat. He faces stiff competition from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (who just announced his candidacy last week) and former mayor of Dallas, Tom Leppert, for the GOP nomination.